Show WU DENIES PEKING STORY One Which Says Edicts Were Forged He Pronounces Untrue Washington Oot 17 Minister Wu called upon the President this morning Upon leaving the While House the I Minister said that he had conveyed to the President a message from the Emperor of China thanking President McKlnley for the consideration shown b y the United States during tho Chinese I I Chi-nese trouble The Minister also brought t a dispatch from Shanghai from the southern Viceroys stating that the imperial im-perial party had reached Tung Kuan only a few miles from SI Nan Fu tho new capital on the llth Instant I DENIES A STORY Referring to the report from Peking that the edict for the punishment of I certain Chinese officials had been ron ed Minister Wu said such a story was preposterous and should receive no credence whatever If any one I should Issue a false decree of any character char-acter it would be very easy he said to ascertain his Identity and he certainly would be beheaded MOVEMENTS OF ROYAL FAMILY The advices received by Mr Vu give no indication of a purpose on the part of tho royal family to return to Peking although there Is reason to believe that efforts continue to be made to Induce the Emperor to return to the capital The Emperor has heretofore sent messages mes-sages of thanks to the Czar of Russia and the Emperor of Japan for the course their Governments have pursued pur-sued and the message to the President t is i along the same lines HAY VISITS WAR OFFICE Secretary Hay spent some time at the War department today in conference with Secretary Root after which he went to the White House From this It i was inferred that there were somo military developments In the Chinese I situation although no statement was made from officials I RUSSIAS POSITION Russias determination to pursue a t policy Independent of the other powers is I regarded by officials as a most important im-portant development in the situation In the absence of official details those In i authority are in doubt as to whether I this Russian stroke Is designed to insure in-sure Russian occupation of Manchuria or is only another move In tho pacific tendency which the Czars Government has given expression to beginning with the announcement of the withdrawal of Russia troops from Peking As to Russian designs on Manchuria it i is being recalled that In the Russian note of August 28lh that Goernment specifically stated Russia will not fall to withdraw her troops from within with-in the boundaries of the adjacent empire em-pire provided however that the action I of olher powers shall not stand In the way ayGERMANYS COURSE It Is a question however whether the present aggressive course of Germany Ger-many in opening a military campaign is not the action of other powers which will stand in the way There Is a strong impiession In olilC cjal quarters that the entire trend of Russias I action is toward the ultimate acquisition of Manchuria as part of the Russian domain I |